μηχανή: Difference between revisions

|Definition=Dor. [[μαχανά]], ἡ, ([[μῆχος]]):<br><span class="bld">I</span> [[contrivance]], esp. [[machine]] for lifting weights and the like, [[crane]], Hdt.2.125, ''IG''11(2).161 ''A''69, al. (Delos, iii B. C.); μηχανὴ [[τετράκωλος]], [[δίκωλος]], ''Rev.Phil.''44.251 (Didyma, ii B. C.); μηχανὴ [[λιθαγωγός]] Poll. 10.148; <b class="b3">ἰχθυβόλῳ μηχανᾷ</b>, of [[Poseidon]]'s [[trident]], A.''Th.''132 (lyr.); <b class="b3">λαοπόροις μαχαναῖς</b>, of [[Xerxes]]' [[bridge]] of [[boat]]s, Id.''Pers.''114 (lyr.), cf. 722; freq. of irrigation machines, ''[[Oxyrhynchus Papyri|POxy.]]''985 (i A. D.), etc.; also of [[oil-press]]es, Wilcken ''Chr.''176.10 (i/ii A. D.), etc.<br><span class="bld">2</span> [[engine]] of war, μηχανὰς [[προσάγειν]] Th.2.76, etc.; [[ἑλεῖν]] μηχαναῖς Id.4.13.<br><span class="bld">3</span> [[theatrical]] [[machine]] by which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, [[Plato|Pl.]]''[[Cratylus|Cra.]]''425d, ''Clit.''407a; [[αἴρειν]] μηχανήν Antiph.191.15, Alex.126.19: hence, [[proverb|prov.]] of anything [[sudden]] and [[unexpected]], [[ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς ἐπεφάνης]] Men. 227; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μηχανήν D.40.59, cf. Arist.''Po.''1454b1.<br><span class="bld">4</span> [[area]] of [[land]] [[irrigate]]d by a [[machine]], POxy.1830.13 (vi A. D.), ''PLond.''5.1765 (vi A. D.), ''PSI''1.77.14 (vi A. D.).<br><span class="bld">II</span> any [[artificial]] [[means]] or [[contrivance]] for doing a thing, ἤτοι κλήρῳ... ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μ. Hdt.3.83; εἴ τίς ἐστι μ., ἴθι καὶ πειρῶ Id.8.57, etc.; especially in plural [[μηχαναί]] = [[shifts]], [[device]]s, [[wiles]], Hes.''Th.'' 146; πάντα σοφίσματα καὶ πάσας μ. ἐπεποιήκεε ἐς αὐτοὺς Δαρεῖος Hdt. 3.152; [[μηχαναῖς Διός]] = [[by the arts of Zeus]], A.''Ag.''677; <b class="b3">χερὸς… ἐκτίνοντα μηχανάς</b> acts of violence, ib.1582; Ὀρέστην μηχαναῖσι μὲν θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον S.''El.''1228; κρατεῖ μαχαναῖς… θηρός Id.''Ant.''349 (lyr.); σοφιστῶν μηχανή Pl.''Lg.''908d: [[proverb|prov.]], [[μηχαναὶ Σισύφου]] = [[wile]]s of [[Sisyphus]] [[Aristophanes|Ar.]]''[[Acharnians|Ach.]]''391:—Phrases: πάσας προσφέροντε μ. E.''IT''112; μηχανὴν προσοιστέον Ar.''Th.''1132; πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ μηχανὴν προσφερόμενος Plb.1.18.11; ἐπεισήγαγον μ. Id.29.25.1; μηχανὰς εὑρήσομεν, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι A.''Eu.''82; [[πλέκειν]] E.''Andr.''66; [[πορίζεσθαι]] Pl.''Smp.'' 191b; ἐκπορίζειν Ar.''V.''365; [[ζητεῖν]] ib.149; [[ἀντλεῖν μαχανάν]] = [[exhaust one's resources]]; μή, φίλα ψυχά, βίον ἀθάνατον σπεῦδε, τὰν δ’ ἔμπρακτον ἄντλει μαχανάν = Oh! my [[soul]] do not [[aspire]] to [[eternal]] [[life]], but [[exhaust]] the [[limit]]s of the [[possible]]. ([https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=33650.0 Pindar]) Pi.''P.''3.62; <b class="b3">κατ' ἐμὰν μηχανάν</b> ib.109: c. gen. objecti, <b class="b3">ἔξευρε μηχανάν τιν' Ἀδμήτῳ κακῶν</b> [[contrivance]] [[against]] [[ill]]s, E.''Alc.''221 (lyr.); but [[μηχανὴ σωτηρίας]] = a [[way]], [[means]] of [[procure|procuring]] or [[means]] of [[provide|providing]] [[safety]], A. ''Th.''209; μυρίων οὐσῶν μηχανῶν ἀπαλλαγῆς [[Xenophon|X.]]''[[Cyropaedia|Cyr.]]''5.1.12; <b class="b3">οὐδεμία μηχανή [ἐστι] ὅκως οὐ</b> c. fut. ind., Hdt.2.160; <b class="b3">μὴ οὐ</b> c. inf., ib. 181, 3.51; <b class="b3">τὸ μὴ οὐ</b> (prob.) Id.1.209; <b class="b3">τίς μηχανὴ μὴ οὐχὶ</b>…; Pl.''Phd.''72d.<br><span class="bld">2</span> freq. in adverb. phrases, [[μηδεμιῇ μηχανῇ]] = [[by no means whatsoever]], [[by no contrivance]], Hdt. 7.51, etc.; οὓς οὐδεμιῇ μηχανῇ δεῖ [[τιτρώσκειν]] Hp.''Art.''11; so <b class="b3">μήτε τέχνῃ μήτε μηχανῇ μηδεμιᾷ</b> Foed. ap. Th.5.18, cf. ''IG''12.39.23; opp. πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μηχανῇ Lys. 19.53; πάσῃ μ. Ar.''Lys.''300 (lyr.); <b class="b3">τρόπῳ ἢ μηχανῇ ᾑτινιοῦν</b> Lex ap.D.21.113.